Sunday, December 10, 2017

I was already envisioning an Old-World feel for my 2017 Christmas cards.

I drew a crude design (that’s me-unskillful in the
drawing department)

of what I had in mind and by February had made most of the card embellishments
–

NO, this is not a typo! LOL!However, during the year I occasionally spent time meticulously inking the tiny leaves of each poinsettia die. For 16 cards that added up to 144 die cuts!Using the gloriously gorgeous Maja Design (Sweden) paper collection Vintage Frost, I created my Old-World Santa-Rudolph cards.

I also created another card with a simpler design using the same gorgeous Maja Design papers from the Vintage Frost collection.

These are smaller than the other ones because I decided to make TWO cards with one scrapbook page, whereas the 'Santa-Rudolph' cards were ONE card per 12x12 scrapbook page!I named these the "Santa Snowflake" cards.

In December 2016, I decided on an Old-World theme for my 2017 Christmas cards! I found an internet image of an Old-World Santa with very kind eyes that I absolutely loved! Michael’s had their Christmas items on clearance and I hoped to find something rustic & 'natural' for my cards. Then, I couldn’t believe my eyes! Recollections wood tags!!!!!!!!!! OMG! I bought every pack they had left (reg $4 – for only 80 cents each)!

After a very successful Christmas clearance shopping spree, the online search for Christmas paper began. "Naturally" the colors should include reds, greens, browns & perhaps gold. All of that changed when I viewed Maja Design's Vintage Frost collection

with an absolutely gorgeous color palette!!!

Even more convincing was the page "14th of December"!!

I actually counted the number of Santas on the page and was able to determine the approximate size of each based on the number of them on this 12x12 paper!

I knew that they would fit wonderfully on the little wood rounds!!

So, out with the internet Santa image and in with these beautiful Maja Design Santas!!

Unbelievable how perfect this worked out! Hummmmm…this was meant to be for sure!

Look at all of the Santas!

There are two Santas on this page and I chose the one with the plum & ivory suit.

With these colors, the definitive color palette of plum & cadet-blue was set!

I punched out each Santa with a 1-1/2” circle punch & inked the edges in Raisin color.

Then I adhered them to the wood pieces with Beacon 3-in-1 glue.

Rustic natural jute double bows were hand tied;

then hot glued to the Santa wood rounds.

Cheery Lynn's Wreath Strip die cuts were perfectly sized to place behind the Santa wood rounds to look like the Christmas tree he is carrying!

A reindeer just had to be part of this design to add to the imagination.

A short back track for a moment - I cut & distressed papers for the layered pieces on the front of the cards.

The first layer is 4-1/2” x 6” and the top layer is 4” x 5-1/2”. The colors & printed designs in this collection are fabulous!

The top layer is splattered with white gesso to mimic snow.

A fan brush produced tiny spots, like very light snow.

Isn’t the printed design in this paper so stunning?!

Here’s the completed Christmas card I created.

~This is the Santa Snowflake Card ~

Next, I began making simpler cards using the same gorgeous Vintage Frost collection by Maja Design.I used one 12x12 scrapbook page to make TWO cards, so these are a little bit smaller than the other ones.

I used a pretty Spellbinders D-lite die Medallion Seven that reminds me of a snowflake.Using the leftover paper pieces from the Santa-Rudolph card (backside of page named 19th of December) I cut a 3.5" x 3.5" square; distressed the edges; inked with Raisin pigment ink and die cut the snowflake in the center before adhering it to the main card.A circle punched Santa is placed in the center using foam tape for a little dimension.

Inside the card is a cut out sentiment from the bottom strip of the page named 16th of December.It's edge inked in Raisin color.

Thanks so very much for visiting! Have a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

Come & Visit : )

Blue Fern Studios October 2017 Fan of the Month!

No Copy Cats Please

I hope that some of my work offers ideas and inspiration. I value everything I create because my work comes from my mind and heart. Every piece has special meaning in some way for me so I ask that you not replicate my work. However, feel free to share/post my creations, but please link the image to my iluvcats and scraps blogspot. Thanks so very much for visiting and have a wonderful day! Lisa : )